fSuui  £Hakf 
Seans  (Christ  Heal 


HOW  MAY  JESUS  CHRIST 
BE  MADE 

A REALITY  TO  ME 


JOHN  R.  MOTT 


Second  Edition 


New  York 

Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Press 

1908 


Copyrighted,  1906, 

BY 

The  International  Committee 
of 

Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations 


(3657) 


How  May  Jesus  Christ  be  Made  a 
Reality  to  Me? 


The  world  is  impatient  with  unreality. 
The  same  is  true  of  Giristians  and  yet  how 
much  unreality  there  is  among  professing 
Christians.  One  is  constantly  meeting  those 
who  testify  that  the  facts  of  their  faith  are 
unreal  to  them.  A very  common  experience 
is  to  hear  a Christian  say  that  Christ  is  not 
real  to  him.  He  admits  that  his  mother  is 
very  real  to  him.  He  says  that  now  and 
then  a stranger  crosses  his  path  who  be- 
comes a real  factor  or  influence  in  his  life, 
but  he  confesses  that  in  no  such  sense  or 
degree  is  Christ  real  to  him.  Now  I main- 
tain that  it  is  possible  and  practicable  for 
each  Christian  to  have  Christ  become  and 
remain  a great  reality  in  his  life ; to  be  con- 
scious of  His  presence ; to  experience  be- 
yond doubt  His  actual  help  in  breaking  the 
power  of  temptation,  in  lifting  the  burden 
of  sin,  in  shedding  light  in  times  of  doubt 
on  questions  which  perplex  us,  in  affording 
a sense  of  companionship  in  times  of  sor- 
row or  severe  trial;  to  have  Him  become  a 
vastly  more  potent  tatf&fn  transforming 


3 


character  and  energizing  life  than  any  other 
person  or  persons  living  or  dead.  Christ 
thus  becomes  not’  merely  One  who  lived 
and  taught  and  wrought  nearly  two  thou- 
sand years  ago;  not  simply  an  inspiring 
memory  or  beneficent  or  historical  charac- 
ter, for  example,  like  Martin  Luther  or  Wil- 
liam the  Silent;  not  some  vague,  impersonal 
influence;  but 

“ A living,  bright  reality, 

More  dear,  more  intimately  nigh, 

Than  e’en  the  sweetest  earthly  tie.” 

Many  pray  for  such  a sense  of  the  presence 
and  reality  of  Christ  and  for  the  peace, 
power,  joy,  faith,  and  hope  which  result 
from  such  a realizing  sense  of  His  presence; 
but  it  is  overlooked  that  these  are  fruits  or 
results.  Let  us  rather  concern  ourselves 
with  the  causes  which  if  supplied  will  neces- 
sarily lead  to  these  much  desired  results. 
How  then  may  Christ  be  made  a great 
reality  to  me? 

Christ  becomes  and  remains  real  to  one 
who  continues  the  proper  study  of  the  rec- 
ords of  the  life  and  works  and  words  of 
Christ.  No  personality  becomes  real  unless 
one  has  knowledge  of  that  personality.  My 
friend  is  real  to  me.  A characteristic  of 
friendship  is  confidence.  Confidence  de- 
pends on  knowledge.  If  Christ  is  to  be  real 
to  us  we  must  have  confidence  in  His  char- 
acter, life  and  power.  Such  confidence 
originates  and  develops  with  growing 


4 


knowledge  of  Him.  Have  you  ever  known 
a man  maintaining  a vivid  realization  of  the 
nearness  of  Christ  who  was  not  continuing 
to  study  Christ  and  meditate  upon  Him? 
General  “Chinese”  Gordon  to  a remarkable 
degree  preserved  a vital  faith  in  Christ  and 
seemed  to  live  in  His  presence.  But  he  was 
a constant  student  of  the  Scriptures.  At 
some  periods  in  his  life,  and  they  were  the 
periods  when  Christ  seemed  to  dominate 
him  most,  he  studied  the  Bible  from  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning  until  eleven  and  often 
until  the  noon  hour.  One  time  I had  the 
opportunity  of  viewing  in  the  apartments  of 
the  Queen  at  Windsor  Castle  her  wonderful 
collection  of  gifts.  Among  them  none  im- 
pressed me  more  than  the  old  Bible  of 
“Chinese”  Gordon  that  had  been  brought 
back  from  the  Sudan.  Many  of  the  pages 
were  so  worn  that  you  could  scarcely  read 
the  print.  Recently,  in  reading  the  published 
letters  of  Gordon  to  his  sister,  I noted  these 
words,  “During  the  barren  times  I read  (the 
Bible)  a great  deal.”  There  were  many 
references  in  his  letters  showing  that  this 
was  a general  practice  with  him  under  such 
circumstances.  In  other  words,  when  the 
grasp  of  his  faith  seemed  to  be  weakening, 
when  Christ  seemed  to  be  receding,  he 
would  give  himself  to  earnest  study  of  the 
Scriptures  and  Christ  would  again  become  a 
reality  to  him. 

What  should  characterize  our  study  of 


5 


Christ  if  He  is  to  remain  real  to  us?  With- 
out doubt  our  study  should  be  thorough.  If 
certain  Christians  gave  no  more  time  and 
no  more  earnest  and  thorough  attention  to 
the  consideration  of  other  personalities  and 
enterprises  than  they  are  giving  to  Christ 
and  the  interests  of  His  kingdom,  those 
other  personalities  and  enterprises  would  be- 
come practically  meaningless  to  them  and 
powerless  as  an  influence  over  them.  Our 
study  of  Christ  must  be  reverent.  It  is  said 
that  “the  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them 
that  fear  Him.”  The  more  one  dwells  upon 
it  the  more  he  sees  that  much  of  this  secret 
depends  on  knowledge  revealed  in  the  path- 
way of  the  prayerful  and  sympathetic  study 
of  Christ  and  His  teachings.  It  should  be 
emphasized  that  our  study  of  Christ  must 
be  continuous.  Only  in  this  way  will  Christ 
be  kept  vivid  and  real  before  us.  His  char- 
acter is  infinite,  His  riches  are  unsearchable; 
as  an  object  of  study  He  Himself  is  inex- 
haustible. The  Christian  who  assumes  that 
because  he  at  one  time  in  his  life  spent  sev- 
eral years  in  the  study  of  Christ,  therefore 
he  does  not  need  to  continue  to  exercise  his 
mind  upon  Christ  in  order  to  keep  Him  real 
in  his  thought  and  experience,  will  soon  dis- 
cover that  he  is  mistaken.  Psydhologically 
and  experimentally  it  is  true  that  the  mind 
must  continue  to  occupy  itself  with  Christ 
if  Christ  is  to  continue  as  a dominating 
reality  in  one’s  life.  No  argument  is  needed 


6 


to  show  that  the  study  of  Christ  must  be 
carried  on  with  the  controlling  motive  and 
purpose  to  know  Christ  in  order  that  we 
may  become  more  and  more  like  Him. 

If  we  would  have  Christ  become  and  re- 
main real  to  us,  we  must  obey  Him  and  seek 
to  conform  our  lives  to  His  example.  Be- 
yond a shadow  of  doubt  a right  life,  or 
rather  a dominant  desire  to  live  a right  life, 
is  indispensable  to  the  realization  of  the 
nearness  of  Christ.  “Who  shall  ascend  into 
the  hill  of  the  Lord” — that  is,  to  whom  shall 
He  be  real?  “He  that  hath  clean  hands  and 
a pure  heart.”  A man  with  defiled  hands  or 
impure  heart  does  not  know  Jesus  Christ  as 
a reality.  Listen  once  more  to  that  voice  of 
a faraway  time,  “Who  shall  dwell  in  thy 
holy  hill” — that  is,  to  whom  shall  the  reality 
of  Thy  presence  be  a constant  experience? 
“He  that  walketh  uprightly,  and  worketh 
righteousness,  and  speaketh  the  truth  in  his 
heart.”  The  man  with  the  consuming  am- 
bition to  align  his  inner  and  outer  life  with 
the  example  of  Christ  finds  himself  ever  in 
the  presence  of  Christ.  Or  take  Christ’s 
own  words,  “Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart, 
fcr  they  shall  see  God.”  By  purity  of  heart 
much  more  is  meant  than  we  usually  asso- 
ciate with  the  word  purity.  It  means  not 
only  having  the  heart  free  from  lascivious- 
ness, or  what  we  commonly  think  of  as  im- 
purity, but  also  free  from  pride,  envy,  jeal- 
ousy, deceit,  uncharitableness,  distrust  of 


7 


God.  As  one  grows  pure  in  heart  in  this 
comprehensive  sense,  his  vision  of  Christ 
grows  clearer  and  his  sense  of  communion 
with  Him  becomes  deeper. 

This  matter  of  obedience  to  Christ  means 
absolute  surrender  to  His  will  and  reign. 
We  must  yield  ourselves  unconditionally  and 
completely.  It  consists,  as  a French  writer 
so  well  expresses  it,  in  the  “heart  renuncia- 
tion of  everything  which  we  are  sensible 
does  not  lead  to  God.”  Well  may  we  dwell 
on  this  phrase.  If  any  one  who  has  hitherto 
had  an  unsatisfactory  Christian  experience 
would  resolve  to  renounce  not  simply  nom- 
inally, but  from  the  heart,  every  practice, 
indulgence,  attitude,  and  motive  that  he 
finds  in  experience,  or  in  the  teaching  of 
the  Christian  Scriptures,  does  not  lead  to 
God,  Christ  would  become  increasingly  a 
great  reality  to  him.  We  cannot  be  too 
thorough  at  this  point.  Some  people  think 
they  have  surrendered  all  when  they  have 
not  done  so.  One  time  St.  Augustine  caught 
himself  praying,  “O  Lord,  give  me  purity, 
but  not  yet.”  And  so  some  Christians  are 
saying:  Lord,  give  me  unselfishness,  but  let 
me  have  my  own  way  in  this  thing;  or, 
Lord,  give  me  humility,  but  do  not  make  it 
necessary  for  me  to  come  down  from  a cer- 
tain position  I have  taken  already  before 
others ; or,  Lord,  give  me  purity,  but  let  a 
certain  picture  still  hang  in  the  chambers  of 
my  imagery.  If  we  have  a thousand  things 


8 


and  give  up  nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
of  them  to  Christ,  but  still  hold  on  to  one, 
Christ  will  not  be  real  to  us.  He  is  the  Lord 
of  all  or  not  Lord  at  all.  He  requires  every- 
thing of  us,  and  not  until  we  make  a com- 
plete surrender  does  He  disclose  Himself  to 
us  fully.  The  more  we  identify  ourselves 
with  His  aims,  desires  and  ideals,  the  nearer 
and  more  real  He  will  seem  to  us. 

By  preserving  an  uncompromising  attitude 
toward  sin  Christ  becomes  and  remains  real 
to  us.  Sin  is  a veil ; no  man  ever  saw  Christ 
through  it.  Sin  is  an  insulator;  it  com- 
pletely cuts  a man  off  from  Jesus  Christ. 
The  Old  Testament  language  is  apt  and  true, 
“Your  sins  have  separated  you  from  God.” 
No  man  ever  regarded  sin  with  favor,  or 
even  with  indifference,  and  at  the  same  time 
kept  a realizing  sense  of  the  nearness  of 
Christ. 

We  need  to  guard  against  the  little  breaks 
in  our  friendly  union  with  Christ.  A very 
little  thing  may  keep  turned  off  a mighty 
current.  The  so-called  little  sins  are  deadly. 
We  should  never  think  a sin  too  small  to  be 
cast  behind  the  back  of  Christ.  We  should 
preserve  at  all  costs  our  sensitiveness  to  sin. 
There  is  no  truer  test  of  growing  spirituality 
than  growing  sensitiveness  to  the  approaches 
of  sin.  On  the  other  hand  there  is  no  more 
alarming  condition  than  one  of  callousness 
to  the  presence  and  working  of  sin.  We 
should  confess  and  forsake  a sin  as  soon  as 


9 


it  is  recognized.  This  was  the  practice  of 
Robert  Murray  McCheyne,  one  of  the  saint- 
liest  characters  of  Scotland.  He  said : “I 
ought  to  confess  sin  the  moment  I see  it  to 
be  a sin;  whether  I am  in  company,  or  in 
study  or  even  in  preaching,  the  soul  ought 
to  cast  a glance  of  abhorrence  at  the  sin. 
If  I go  on  with  the  duty,  leaving  the  sin 
unconfessed,  I go  on  with  a burdened  con- 
science and  add  sin  to  sin.”  The  godliest 
men  I have  known,  or  those  of  whom  I have 
read,  never  relaxed  their  vigilance  in  self- 
examination  to  detect  promptly  and  over- 
come earnestly  all  approaches  of  sin. 

Christ  becomes  and  remains  real  to  one 
who  persists  in  the  cultivation  of  the  habit 
of  reminding  one’s  self  of  His  presence.  It 
will  take  perseverance  to  acquire  this  habit, 
but  well  may  we  pay  any  price  to  do  so. 
Christ  is  present  whether  we  are  conscious 
of  the  fact  or  not ; whether  we  believe  it  or 
not.  He  is  at  hand,  closer  than  breathing. 
The  sufficient  proof  is  that  others  who  have 
complied  with  His  conditions  have  found 
Him  near  at  hand  and  become  conscious  of 
His  presence  and  help.  Well  may  one  act, 
therefore,  on  the  supposition  that  Christ  is 
near. 

There  are  marked  advantages  of  remind- 
ing one’s  self  of  Christ’s  presence.  It  warns 
one  of  approaching  evil  in  time  to  resist  it. 
It  develops  hatred  of  sin.  It  promotes 
heart  purity.  It  gives  one  a keener  sense  of 


10 


duty.  It  greatly  strengthens  faith  and  im- 
parts the  sense  of  certainty  of  help.  It  ex- 
erts an  ennobling  and  inspiring  influence. 

How  shall  the  habit  of  reminding  one’s 
self  of  Christ’s  presence  be  cultivated? 
One  means  is  that  of  regular,  daily  occa- 
sions for  secret  prayer.  Even  though  Christ 
does  not  seem  o be  near  us  when  we  pray 
it  is  well  to  go  on  praying,  for  in  time  His 
presence  will  be  manifested.  I need  not 
enlarge  upon  the  desirability  of  devoting 
some  of  the  best  hours  under  the  most  fa- 
vorable conditions  to  prayer.  Keeping  the 
attention  fixed  on  Christ  when  others  are 
praying  is  also  an  invaluable  help  in  ac- 
quiring this  habit  of  realizing  His  presence. 
A right  use  of  the  Holy  Communion  is  in- 
dispensable, for  the  distinguishing  reason 
which  Christ  assigned  for  this  observance 
was  to  remind  His  followers  of  His  work 
on  their  behalf  and  of  His  presence.  It  is 
well  also  frequently  to  reflect  upon  the  fact 
that  Christ  is  looking  upon  us.  Another 
suggestive  practice  is  that  of  associating 
thoughts  of  Christ  with  certain  places,  or 
hours,  or  circumstances.  I have  one  friend 
who  in  coming  to  his  office  in  New  York 
each  day,  as  the  train  shoots  into  the  tun- 
nel before  reaching  Jersey  City,  lets  this  re- 
mind him  of  Christ  and  who  then  gives 
himself  to  prayer  and  communion.  All  will 
remember  the  familiar  picture  of  the  An- 
gelus  in  which  the  two  peasants  in  the  field 


11 


are  in  the  act  of  prayer,  having  been  re- 
minded by  the  bell  in  the  distant  church 
tower.  Bishop  Andrews  had  certain  trains 
of  thought  suggested  to  his  mind  when  the 
clock  struck  the  different  hours.  Let  us  not 
look  lightly  upon  such  suggestions  nor  re- 
gard them  as  purely  mechanical.  By  the 
wise  use  of  these  and  other  means  we  may 
have  the  laws  of  psychology  fighting  for  us 
in  promoting  the  formation  of  a valuable 
habit.  A most  important  suggestion  is  that 
we  let  the  approach  of  temptation  remind  us 
instantly  of  Christ.  This  may  be  made  one 
of  the  most  powerful  means  if  we  do  not 
trifie  with  the  warnings.  If  we  fail  to  heed 
them  the  conscience  will  be  disabled  so  that 
it  will  not  remind  us  so  well  in  times  of 
greatest  peril.  Therefore  each  time  when 
one  is  tempted  to  be  mean,  or  selfish,  or 
vain,  or  jealous,  let  the  very  temptation  re- 
mind him  of  the  presence  of  Christ.  In  one 
of  the  battles  in  the  recent  war  in  Man- 
churia the  Japanese  captured  certain  Rus- 
sian guns  and  brought  them  into  action 
against  the  enemy  in  the  same  battle.  Thus 
we  may  make  the  occasions  for  stumbling 
sources  of  strength  in  that  they  will  remind 
us  of  the  nearness  of  the  triumphant  Christ. 
The  growing  reality  and  influence  of  Christ’s 
presence  depend  largely  upon  the  operation 
ot  the  law  of  association,  and  the  various 
hints  which  have  been  given  are  valuable  as 
a means  of  bringing  this  law  more  fully  into 


12 


play.  They  thus  afford  opportunities  for 
Christ  to  impress  Himself  upon  us. 

We  can  all  think  of  examples  of  men  who 
have  practiced  the  presence  of  Christ. 
Nicholas  Hermann,  who  lived  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  cultivated  this  habit  to  a 
high  degree.  He  it  was  who  voiced  the 
great  truth,  “He  is  within  us;  seek  Him  not 
elsewhere.”  He  testified  that  when  the  ap- 
pointed hours  of  prayer  were  passed,  it  made 
no  difference  in  his  case  because  he  still 
continued  with  God ; and  that  he  did  not  ask 
for  times  of  retirement  because  the  greatest 
business  did  not  divert  him  from  God.  He 
expressed  the  fundamental  truth  which, 
when  once  grasped  and  obeyed,  transforms 
life,  “our  sanctification  does  not  depend 
upon  changing  our  works,  but  in  doing 
these  for  God’s  sake  which  we  commonly 
do  for  our  own.”  It  is  not  strange,  there- 
fore, that  this  man  was  able  at  last  to  say, 
“I  am  come  to  a state,  wherein  it  would  be 
as  difficult  for  me  not  to  think  of  God,  as  it 
was  at  first  to  accustom  myself  to  it.” 
Henry  Martyn  justly  acquired  the  reputation 
of  being  a true  saint.  In  his  early  life  he 
had  a fiery  temper  which  had  not  been 
brought  into  subjection.  He  was  a brilliant 
student  and  a man  of  marked  social  gifts 
and  had  the  temptations  which  assail  one 
who  possesses  such  talents.  But  whether  at 
Cambridge  University,  or  later  in  India,  or 
Persia,  on  land  or  on  sea,  wherever  and 


13 


under  whatever  circumstances  one  met  him, 
one  was  reminded  of  the  presence  of  Christ 
with  him.  The  secret  of  it  all  is  found  in 
this  sentence  from  his  diary,  “My  chief  en- 
joyment was  the  enjoyment  of  God’s  pres- 
ence.” 

Stonewall  Jackson  had  also  acquired  this 
habit  of  reminding  himself  of  the  presence 
of  Christ.  He  literally  carried  the  saintli- 
ness of  the  cloister  into  the  turmoil  of  the 
camp.  He  began  each  day  with  an  unhur- 
ried time  of  Bible  study  and  secret  prayer. 
It  is  said  he  prayed  without  ceasing  while 
under  fire  as  well  as  in  camp.  His  biogra- 
pher points  out  that  he  had  long  cultivated 
the  habit  of  “connecting  the  most  trivial  and 
customary  acts  of  life  with  silent  prayer”; 
and  as  a result  he  developed  an  almost 
startling  consciousness  of  the  nearness  and 
reality  of  the  invisible  world.  David,  too, 
was  not  a stranger  to  this  habit,  for  he  was 
able  to  say,  “the  Lord  is  at  my  right  hand” ; 
and  again,  “I  have  set  the  Lord  continually 
before  me”;  and  still  again,  “mine  eyes  are 
ever  unto  the  Lord.” 

By  associating  with  those  to  whom  Christ 
is  a great  reality  He  may  be  made  more 
real  to  us.  There  are  persons  whose  lives 
and  presence,  as  well  as  words,  make  an 
atmosphere  in  which  it  is  much  easier  to 
realize  Christ  and  to  apprehend  His 
teachings.  I recall  with  gratitude  one  godly 
aged  woman  who  thus  exerted  a great  in- 


14 


fluence  upon  me  at  a time  when  my  faith 
was  sorely  strained  by  certain  studies  in 
philosophy.  The  simplicity  and  genuineness 
of  her  faith  and  life  constituted  in  itself  a 
fact  for  which  I had  to  account.  Moreover, 
the  presence  of  Christ  seemed  to  be  as  act- 
ual and  real  to  her  as  that  of  any  person  in 
the  room.  This  also  was  a fact  which  I 
had  to  explain.  The  fact  that  she,  as  a re- 
sult of  complying  with  the  conditions  of 
Christ,  had  found  Him  so  real  could  not  be 
off-set  by  my  lack  of  experience  of  this 
reality,  for  I had  not  in  like  manner  com- 
plied with  His  conditions.  I first  met  the 
present  Bishop  of  Durham  when  he  was 
Principal  of  Ridley  Hall,  Cambridge.  I 
was  profoundly  impressed  by  his  evident 
consciousness  of  the  nearness  of  Christ. 
The  practical  way  in  which  this  experience 
and  belief  influenced  his  conduct  and  char- 
acter also  helped  me  greatly  in  a time  of 
real  stress  and  strain  We  should  associate 
not  only  with  living  Christians  who  know 
Christ  at  first  hand,  but  also  with  those  who 
in  other  times  have  lived  near  to  Him. 
Henry  Martyn  was  profoundly  influenced 
for  Christ  by  reading  the  Memoirs  of  David 
Brainerd.  One  side  of  my  library  is  given 
up  to  biographies.  Whenever  my  faith  be- 
comes dim  and  the  great  facts  of  Christ  and 
His  mission  become  unreal  to  me,  I need 
only  take  down  and  read  for  a short  time 
such  works  as  Rutherford’s  Letters,  Lance- 


•15 


lot  Andrewcs  and  His  Private  Devotions, 
or  Halyburton’s  Autobiography  to  have 
Christ  brought  near  and  His  truth  afresh 
get  strong  hold  upon  me.  We  miss  a great 
source  of  inspiration  when  we  neglect 
spending  much  time  with  the  holy  men  of 
other  days. 

“ Oh,  blest  communion,  fellowship  divine ! 

We  feebly  struggle,  they  in  glory  shine; 

Yet  all  are  one  in  Thee,  for  all  are  Thine. 

Alleluia!” 

By  serving  men,  especially  those  in  need, 
Christ  may  be  made  more  real.  Friendship 
must  have  expression  if  it  is  to  be  main- 
tained and  grow.  Unselfishly  serving  men 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  affords  the  best  ex- 
pression of  our  friendship  for  Him.  Those 
for  whom  we  sacrifice  most  become  most 
real  to  us.  Moreover,  Christ  very  clearly 
teaches  that  one  of  the  best  ways  to  get 
into  His  presence  is  to  minister  to  those  in 
need.  ‘‘I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave 
me  meat : I was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink:  I was  a stranger  and  ye  took  me  in: 
naked  and  ye  clothed  me : I was  sick,  and 
ye  visited  me : I was  in  prison,  and  ye  came 
unto  me.”  The  disciples  did  not  understand 
what  He  meant  and  answered  in  response: 
“Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  an  hungered,  and 
fed  thee?  or  athirst,  and  gave  thee  drink? 
And  when  saw  we  thee  a stranger,  and  took 
thee  in?  or  naked,  and  clothed  thee?  And 
when  saw  we  thee  sick,  or  in  prison,  and 


16 


came  unto  thee?”  Notice  Christ’s  answer, 
“Verily  I say  unto  you,  Inasmuch  as  ye  did 
it  unto  one  of  these  my  brethren,  even  these 
least,  ye  did  it  unto  me.”  There  was  a time 
in  my  undergraduate  life  when  I did  not  be- 
lieve in  the  deity  of  Jesus  Christ.  Two 
things  led  me  out  of  my  unbelief.  One  was 
the  study  of  the  resurrection,  the  other  was 
my  experience  in  seeking  to  help  sinful  men. 
A friend  and  fellow  student  urged  me  to 
join  him  in  a religious  and  philanthropic  en- 
terprise to  help  the  prisoners  in  the  county 
jail.  To  this  man  Christ  was  a reality;  to 
me  He  was  simply  a good  and  great  man. 
As  I attempted  to  help  those  prisoners  be- 
hind the  bars,  and  also,  after  they  were  re- 
leased as  I tried  to  obtain  business  posi- 
tions for  them,  and  to  effect  reconciliations 
between  them  and  their  relatives,  and  as  I 
sought  to  prepare  them  to  face  their  old 
temptations,  I myself  found  Jesus  Christ  the 
Lord.  I do  not  at  this  time  attempt  to  ex- 
plain it.  I do  not  know  that  I could  were  I 
to  try;  but  I know  beyond  question  that  it 
was  a real  fact  and  experience  with  me. 
Moreover,  I have  met  other  men  who  have 
become  wearied  with  their  much  study  and 
reflection  and  speculation  upon  different 
points  of  the  Christian  faith,  who,  escaping 
into  the  service  of  needy  men,  have  found 
the  same  divine  Lord.  Let  us  not  forget 
that  we  can  serve  or  help  men  by  interces- 
sory prayer  as  well  as  by  other  forms  of 


17 


work.  Only  the  other  day  I was  reading  in 
a letter  of  David  Hill,  one  of  the  most 
spiritual  missionaries  who  has  ever  labored 
in  China,  these  words,  “I  have  lately  felt 
great  nearness  to  God  in  pleading  for  the 
salvation  of  souls  here.”  I suppose  the  rea- 
son why  he  experienced  this  nearness  to 
God  and  the  reason  why  others  who  give 
themselves  to  unselfish  intercession  come  to 
realize  so  vividly  the  presence  of  Christ,  is 
that  they  thus  occupy  themselves  with  that 
which  still  occupies  Christ,  the  great  Inter- 
cessor Himself,  for  He  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession.  By  uniting,  therefore,  in  do- 
ing what  He  is  doing,  as  well  as  by  entering 
into  direct  communion  with  Him,  we  be- 
come conscious  of  the  reality  of  His  pres- 
ence. 

Christ  becomes  and  remains  real  to  us 
when  we  avail  ourselves  of  the  help  of  the 
great  Helper  in  the  process  of  making  real 
His  presence.  The  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  necessary  if  one  is  to  apprehend  and  un- 
derstand Christ.  On  the  authority  of  Christ 
Himself  the  great  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  to  take  of  the  things  of  Christ  and  show 
them  unto  us.  True  it  is  that  “no  man  can 
say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord  but  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.”  The  Holy  Spirit  also  is  the  source 
of  the  love  that  we  bear  to  Christ;  for  He 
sheds  abroad  in  the  heart  the  love  of  God. 
In  other  words  He  makes  Christ  seem  near 
Any  person  whom  one  loves  does  not  seem 


18 


far  away,  for  love  annihilates  space  and  all 
barriers.  The  Holy  Spirit  gives  visions  of 
Christ.  This  He  can  accomplish  under  the 
most  adverse  and  difficult  circumstances,  as, 
fpr  example,  in  the  case  of  Stephen  when  he 
was  being  stoned  to  death.  But  nothing 
brings  Christ  nearer  than  the  work  of  His 
Spirit  in  giving  one  victory  day  by  day  in 
the  battles  with  temptation  within  and  with 
the  forces  of  evil  outside.  These  fresh,  liv- 
ing demonstrations  of  the  presence  and 
working  of  superhuman  power  constitute 
the  most  convincing  and  indubitable  evi- 
dence of  the  reality  of  Christ  and  of  His 
nearness. 

“ And  not  for  signs  in  Heaven  above, 

Or  earth  beneath  they  look, 

Who  know  with  John,  His  smile  of  love, 
With  Peter,  His  rebuke. 

“ In  joy  of  inward  peace,  or  sense 
Of  sorrow  over  sin 
He  is  His  own  best  evidence; 

His  witness  is  within.” 

Christ  becomes  increasingly  real  to  the 
man  who  forms  the  undiscourageable  resolu- 
tion to  make  Him  a reality.  It  is  at  this 
point  that  we  do  well  to  be  much  in  earnest. 
Few  men  have  lived  lives  as  conscious  of 
the  presence  of  Christ  as  did  McCheyne. 
One  has  let  us  into  the  secret  of  his  ex- 
perience by  pointing  out  that  “he  aimed  at 
enjoying  God  all  the  day.”  Observe  that  it 
was  a constant  and  not  an  intermittent  ex- 


19 


perience  which  he  had  as  his  object.  And 
notice,  what  is  even  more  important,  he  had 
this  great  object  as  a definite  aim.  A depu- 
tation waited  on  Ruysboeck,  the  Belgian 
monk,  to  learn  the  secret  of  his  holiness. 
His  answer  is  significant,  “Ye  are  as  holy 
as  ye  truly  will  to  be  holy.”  It  would  be 
well  for  us  to  test  the  sincerity  of  our  de- 
sire to  have  Christ  become  and  remain  real 
to  us,  by  examining  ourselves  with  a few 
questions  which  will  gather  up  the  dominant 
ideas  on  which  we  have  been  dwelling. 
Have  I resolved  that  I will  continue  to 
study  the  life  and  works  and  words  of 
Christ?  “Ye  are  as  holy  as  ye  truly  will  to 
be  holy.”  Have  I resolved  that  I will  obey 
Christ  in  all  things  and  that  I will  seek  to 
conform  my  life  to  His  example?  “Ye  are 
as  holy  as  ye  truly  will  to  be  holy.”  Have  I 
resolved  that  I will  preserve  an  uncompro- 
mising attitude  toward  sin  in  all  forms  and 
all  degrees,  even  toward  so-called  little  sins? 
“Ye  are  as  holy  as  ye  truly  will  to  be  holy.” 
Have  I resolved  that  I will  persist  (that  is, 
not  become  discouraged)  in  the  cultivation, 
of  the  habit  of  reminding  myself  of  the 
presence  of  Christ?  Beyond  question  “ye 
are  as  holy  as  ye  truly  will  to  be  holy.” 
Have  I resolved  that  I will  associate  more 
intimately  with  those  men  of  God  to  whom 
Christ  is  a great  reality?  “Ye  are  as  holy 
as  ye  truly  will  to  be  holy.”  Have  I re- 
solved that  I will  serve  men,  especially  those 


20 


in  need,  cost  what  it  may?  “Ye  are  as  holy 
as  ye  truly  will  to  be  holy,” — no  more,  r.o 
less.  Have  I resolved  that  I will  avail  my- 
self of  the  ever  present  Helper  in  the  vital 
process  of  making  Christ  real  to  me?  “Ye 
are  as  holy  as  ye  truly  will  to  be  holy,” — 
that  is,  ye  are  as  holy  as  ye  truly  resolve, 
determine,  make  up  your  mind  to  be  holy. 

In  seeking  to  observe  and  practice  all  the 
things  which  have  been  emphasized  in  or- 
der to  make  the  wonderful  Christ  more  real, 
it  is  an  infinite  satisfaction  for  us  to  recall 
that  we  are  not  groping  in  the  dark  for 
someone  who  is  trying  to  elude  us ; that 
Christ  is  not  dodging  and  seeking  to  hide 
from  us ; but  that  He  is  more  eager  to  break 
in  upon  us  and  reveal  Himself  more  fully  to 
us  than  we  are  to  have  Him.  Therefore,  as 
we  travel  the  paths  which  have  been  indi- 
cated we  will  find  as  did  the  two  on  the  way 
to  Emmaus,  that  He  is  with  us;  yet  unlike 
them  our  eyes  will  not  be  holden,  for  we 
shall  recognize  His  presence  and  continue 
with  Him  until  we  pass  into  the  great  City 
# where  we  shall  become  like  Him,  for  we 
shall  see  Him  as  He  is. 


si 


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